Tips for Designing an Energy-Efficient House

15 July 2021
 Categories: Construction & Contractors, Blog


Looking for home design inspiration? There are lots of things to consider in determining the appropriate design for your residential building. If one of your chief goals is to make the home as energy-efficient as possible, then you've come to the right place.

Here are some tips for designing an energy-efficient house. 

Make sure your house faces in the right direction

If you're aiming for an energy-efficient new home design, you should know that the direction that your living spaces face isn't just important for the sake of aesthetics and creating positive vibes in your home.

If the orientation of the building in relation to seasonal changes in your local or regional climate zone is wrong, you may struggle to keep cool in summer and warm in winter. This will result in high home heating and cooling expenses. Consider your local climate in determining the most appropriate orientation for your home.

Embrace open-concept living

If you've been keeping up with the latest trends in the house construction industry, you've probably heard the phrase 'open-concept living' being thrown around. What you might not know is that it's a gateway to maximising the energy efficiency of your new home.

Adopting open floor plans will not only brighten up your living spaces and improve air circulation but also help boost the energy efficiency of the entire home by reducing the need to rely on mechanical heating and cooling to achieve thermal comfort throughout the year.

Make sure your house is airtight and properly insulated

When it comes to keeping your new home comfortable throughout the year, mechanical heating and cooling should never substitute a good passive design. That's why you should make sure your home is built as airtight as possible and the proper insulation is used to minimise heat transfer through the building's envelope. Your home's doors, windows, plumbing, HVAC ductwork and electrical outlets are some common sources of air leaks. Make sure these are properly sealed to stop uncomfortable draughts in your home.

A home with minimal air leakage and conduction heat transfer through the walls, roof and other areas of the building is vital for keeping your household's annual energy expenses as low as possible.

Deliberately designing your new home to maximise energy efficiency is a bold decision. But there's a lot that goes into achieving this goal. Talking to a home design expert about your specific requirements is an important first step in building your dream home. When you are ready to start building, contact a local building contractor.


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